Improvement in artificial limbs



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

JOSHUA MONROE, or NEW YORK, N. Y., AssieNOE To HnvisELn AND JETUE 'GAEDINEE OE SAME PLACE.

.. Specification forming pai't ofLetters Patent No. 58,351, dated September 25, 1866.

To all whom 'it may concern: Y j

Be it known that I, J osHUA MONROE, of the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Artilicial Limbs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accoinpan yin g drawings, forming part of this specification, in whicllj Figure 1 represents a vertical central section of this invention, the line .r x, Fig. 2, indicating the plane of section. Fig. 2 is afront elevation of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views of the toe-joints, showing the foot in different positions.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate like parts.

This invention consists in the arrangement of elastic straps, in combination with an artiteial leg or arm, to be secured to a stump below the knee or elbow joint, in suoli a manner that the side irons can be dispensed with, and

thereby the weight ot' the limb is reduced; and,

furthermore, said straps can be readily so adjusted that they keep the limb up tight in any position to which the joint is brought.

-It consists, also, in the arrangement of a rigid tendon, in combination with the knee or elbow joint, in such a manne" that said tendon will form a positive stop when the limb is straightened, and the limb will be relieved from all strain.

It consists, further, in an ankle tendon placed on the outside of the shell, and so arranged as to form a stop for the joint, and also a guard, whereby the stocking and heel of the shoe are prevented fronicatchingin the joint.

It consists, also, in the arrangement ot' a hinged toeplate, in combination with the toejoint, in such a manner that the toes will be compelled to tnrii down dat whenever the foot is put down.

It consists, finally, in the employment or use of a rawhide socket, in combination with an articial limb, in such a manner that a strong, durable, cheap, and convenient socket is obtained, which is 'applicable to artificial legs or arms, and which can be readily formed to correspond to the stump.

A represents an artificial limb, which, when to be attached to a stump below the knee or elbow joint, is held in position by elastic side straps, a, in combination with a center strap, b. These three straps diverge from a common buckle, c, which is adjusted on a leather strap, d, that is rmly secured to theleg or arm, and

the lower or loose ends of said elastic straps are secured in buckles cj', which are fastenedto the outside of the shell of the artificial limb, as clearly shown in the drawings. By means oi the buckles c all the elastic straps can be strained simultaneously, and by the buckles c f the tension ot" each strap can be adjusted independent of that of the other straps, and said straps can be easily so regulated that they will sustain the artificial limb in any position to which the knee or elbow joint may be brought.

For the purpose of attaching the artificial limb to the stump, I use aoup,Bi, made of rawhide, aiid s0 shaped that it will tit the stump perfect-ly and all chaling is avoided. My rawhide cup can be easily formed'over suitable cores, which latter correspond in shape to the stump to which the cup is to be fitted.

C is the tendon, which, instead ot being inade of catgut or other exible material, is made ot' iron or other rigid material, and which passes through slots g h in the blocks or partitions i k, which are secured in the shell of the limb, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. Said tendon is made of two parts, which are hinged together by means of a pivot, l, and the upper part is provided with a nut, m, whereas through the` bottom end of the lower part a pin, a, is passed, so that when the liinb is stretched the tendon Jforms a positive stop, and the joint is relieved of all strain.

By means of t-lie nut m the tendon is adjustable, to correspond to the desired position of the limb. The ankle-tendon D, in an artiticial leg made according to my invention, is placed on the outside ot' the shell", as shown in Fig. 1. Its bottoni end is turned under the heel, and fastened thereto by screws or other suitable means, and its top end is provided with a T- shaped button, 0, which slides up and downin a mortise, p, made for that purpose in the shell. The length of this mortise is so adjusted that the same, in combination with the button o, forms a positive stop at both ends, and the ankle-joint cannot be moved iL either direction beyond the desired limit.

The position oi the toes E is governed by the toe-plate q, which forms a part of the toe joint, one part of said toe-plate being rmly connected to the toes, While its other part extends beyond the pivot l', so that when the foot is brought flat down on the ground the toes are compelled to turn down to the position shown in Fig. 4, and at the saine time the toe-plate allows the foot to assume the position shown in Fig. 3..

By this arrangement of the several part-s my limb is rendered strong and durable in all its parts. It can be readily adapted to the stump either above or below the knee, and its mechanism is so simple that the same is not liable to get out oi' order.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The elastic side straps, a a, in combination with straps d b and with the limb A, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The arrangement of a tendon, O. made of rigid material, in combination with the kneejoint of an artificial leg, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The button o and mortise p, in combination with the ankle-tendon D, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The toe-plate q, applied, in combination with the toe-joint, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOSHUA MONROE.

Witnesses:

M. M. LIVINGSTON, ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

